Interviews - Inspired Living SA

Confessions of a Blogger Charlene

Blogger Series

Hi lovely readers! This post is a bit late but we are currently travelling in Italy, a long time dream of mine! It it amazing but does pose problems with connectivity! I am posting this from beautiful Florence but more about that later!

Back to the post at hand! Today’s Confessions of a Blogger, features one of the loveliest people, who I have had the privilege of getting to get to know, over the past year! Charlene from Pretty Please Charlie is not only beautiful on the outside but on the inside too, not to forget really fun to be around 🙂

Hi! My name is Charlene and I am addicted to all things beauty. This doesn’t really make sense to most of my family and friends, and that is why I decided to blog. I am like a little kid at Christmas when I hear about a new product launch. I often feel that I should have followed my passion after school, but that was not part of my journey. I do believe that I am where I’m meant to be right now. And my most important job is that of a mother and wife. My family and friends are my everything. I love dogs, tattoos, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, belly dancing and chocolate. And lots of it!

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I love skincare and make-up and I didn’t really have anyone to share this passion with, so I decided to blog about it. I started my blog 2 years ago and I never really imagined that it would grow as much as it did. The point of my blog was to share products and services that I think could benefit others. If a product that I review or recommend helps to boost someone’s confidence and makes them feel pretty, I’ve done what I have set out to do.
If you are not blogging where will we find you? At work doing boring admin, or at home. Home is where the heart is. It may be a cliché, but it is very true in my case.

Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? My blog is truly still a work in progress. I blog mostly about beauty, but there are a couple of lifestyle and ‘mommy’ posts too. If it’s something that I like or find interesting, I like to share it.
What do you think makes a blog successful? I think it depends on your reason for blogging. Is it a creative outlet, a journal or means for you to be part of an industry that you love (like it is for me)? If you can look at your work and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, I think you are successful. And being recognized by brands and having a good following of course doesn’t hurt.
Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? I go through slumps and sometimes have little motivation to write, but then I spot new products or try something for the first time and I can’t wait to get to the pc to tell people about it.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Constantly stressing about stats and comparing my blog to others. That completely sucked the joy out of blogging. Luckily I got over that quickly. Now I just blog because I want to, and I try (my best) not to compare. It is hard though… we all want to be noticed, right?
What do you love most about being a blogger? The people! I have met so many amazing people and I have made very good friends in the blogging community. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? It has given me such a confidence boost. There are people out there who actually want to hear what I have to say?! That makes me feel very good. It has also given me the opportunity to experience a small part of the fabulous beauty industry that I have always longed to be a part of. And it gets me out there, meeting new people. I need that. Maybe I’m not as shy as I thought?
What are your top 5 SA blogs? Just five?! The number one spot will always have to go to Gee Whiskers (geewhiskers.com). Charlene is the one who inspired me (and told me) to start a blog of my own. I also love Femme Lifestyle (www.femmelifestyle.blogspot.com), Hipstyler, Pretty and Ginger (www.heygorgeoussa.wordpress.com), Lipgloss Kisses (www.lipglosskisses.com), Not Another Poppie (www.notanotherpoppie.com) and I (obviously) visit Inspired Living every day. I love South African blogs and the bloggers behind them. There is actually only one international blog that I frequently visit. Local is best.
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Do it because you want to and because you enjoy it. Your blog is just one part of you, don’t let it take over your life and always be wary of what you share. Realise that what you put out there is available for the whole world to see and scrutinize. That being said, always stay true to who you are. Your blog is your space and yours alone. Be honest, be genuine and have fun.

Thanks Charlene for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Lisa and stalk her here:

Blog link: http://www.prettypleasecharlie.co.za

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettypleasecharlie

Twitter: @MsCharlieW

Instagram: http://instagram.com/pretty_please_charlie

If you are a blogger and would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below. Or if there is a blogger see featured here please drop me a mail or comment.

Image Source: Charlene

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

Confessions of a Blogger Lisa Fortuin

Blogger Series

It is Confessions of a Blogger time again! Today we meet the gorgeous Lisa Fortuin, from Lipstick Lifestyle, who you guessed it – loves lipstick! I loved this from her blog bio and had to include it “Red lipstick for confidence, pink lipstick for flare.” I have connected with Lisa on a few different online platforms, as well as for PR for Inspired Living.

Hi I’m Lisa, a 22-year-old tea drinker and cupcake eater currently living in Cape Town. I’m a third year student and I love all things beauty and fashion related. I’m constantly planning or looking for something fun to do around Cape Town with family or friends, and in my downtime I like to blog about my secret finds and adventures. ~ Lisa

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I’ve always had a personal blog as a space to write down my thoughts and share pictures but this year I decided to get a bit more serious about blogging and to create a platform where I write about lifestyle topics and things I’m passionate about and I’ve been having so much fun with it!
Do you blog fulltime or do you have a regular 9-5 as well? Regular 9-5 and I study part-time, it’s not easy making time for everything and when my workload gets crazy I give blogging a break for a bit, but I’m always excited to get back to blogging and usually have tons of things to write about when I’m back.
Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? My blog is very lifestyle orientated, with my main focus being on beauty, fashion and events. I love sharing new products and new beauty finds with my readers, or talking about cool places to visit or try out.
Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? My minds always buzzing with content ideas, and even when I’m not motivated or don’t have time blog, I’m still thinking “flip, I got to blog about this while it’s relevant” or I’m making a mental list of things I could be blogging about…. So I guess you could say my need to stay relevant is what keeps me going.

How important do you think it is to have a niche blog? Very important. You want it to be easy for someone to know what your blogs about so that when they tell someone else about it, they can describe it easily. It’s good to have clear lines and focus area’s when having a blog, it makes it easier for you to know what to write about and to know what your audience wants and likes reading.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Time management, some days I feel like I just don’t have enough time to get everything done and then I envy stay at home bloggers who blog for a living – it’s days like that when I want to quit it all and just stay in bed with my laptop forever.
What do you love most about being a blogger? I love the freedom I have in my writing, I can do or say what I want. For work my writing has a different focus and is always double checked and edited until it’s perfect, but on my blog it’s more relaxed and fun, it’s more “me”.

If you had to choose a favourite social media platform, what would it be and why? Instagram! Instagram is the first thing I check in the morning, I love seeing new posts from my favourite celebs, or seeing what my friends or favourite bloggers post. I sometimes feel celebs have someone else running their Twitter or Facebook page for them so I never trust what they have to say, but Instagram always seems like the real deal, like you’re getting a sneak peek of what their lives are really like.

What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? It’s got me to be a bit more adventurous and to try new things just so I can blog about it. I’ve definitely also started taking a lot more pictures of things than I usually would, just so that I can add some good pictures to my blog posts.

If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Honesty over everything, readers really trust bloggers especially when it comes to product reviews or service that they’ve had at restaurant. I always feel like if a blogger gets paid to talk about a certain brand they should say so, just to be fair to their readers.

Thanks Lisa for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Lisa and stalk her here:

Blog link: http://lipsticklifestylebylisa.wordpress.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lipsticklifestyle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LipstickLife_

Instagram: http://instagram.com/lisafortuin

Image Source: Lisa Fortuin

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

Confessions of a Blogger Verushka Ramasami

Confessions of a Blogger by Inspired Living SA

We took a little break from our interview series last week but we are back, with more wonderful and interesting bloggers to get to know! In today’s Confessions of a Blogger we meet the lovely Verushka Ramasami from Durban, someone I remember “meeting” on Twitter when I first started blogging but have yet to meet in person!

Hey I’m Verushka , a thirtysomething Durban based lifestyle blogger, who loves travel, food, books and the colour pink.By day a lecturer , by night a blogger. I am the proud mum of two gorgeous puppies called Chai and Zara. I have a mild obsession with all things British having lived there for a decade.Vanilla is my most favourite smell. My motto is #Live2Inspire and that is aim of blogging.

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I started blogging on a website with guest posts in 2011 and when the site was closing down I knew I needed to create my own space in the bloggersphere. I was asked to contribute to the site by a friend who said I had a way with words.Offically Spicegoddess started in 2012.
If you are not blogging where will we find you? My real job is that of a lecturer. I work at a local FET College lecturing Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship.I start work at midday and finish at half 7. And if I ain’t lecturing you will find me on taking over the world one tweet at a time.

Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? I initially created my blog in WordPress (a free site)and this year for my birthday I was gifted my domain www.spicegoddess.co.za by a good friend Jarryd. I am a lifestyle blogger. I write about the world around me, my life , the events I attend and products I review.
What do you think makes a blog successful? A successful blog is one that is easy to read and navigate as well as interesting. People enjoy reading honest posts and posts on a regular basis.

Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? As blogging doesn’t pay the bills, tho I wish it did it is defo not easy balancing all the things in life. I am motivated by fellow bloggers, friends and my readers who motivate me to write and share my words with them.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? My biggest challenge has been time management. I have lots of different things I do so often making the time to blog is hard.This year I promised myself I would blog at least 3 times a week. I have kept to this goal most weeks and sometimes even blogged more.
What do you love most about being a blogger? I love that I have my own space on the web to share my words. I love that I get to interact with so many people from all over the world.

What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? My blogging has taught me that, my words can have an impact many people, in many different parts of the world. Blogging has changed my life as I am making new friends, attending amazing events and learning more about my world.
What are your top 5 SA blogs? Just Pursue It , Project Me, Lipgloss Kisses, I’ll Take it All, Jozilicious {Such a tough choice picking 5 only 🙁 }
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Be yourself , write when you want to, don’t compete with others ,write about all sorts before you find out what type of blog you want AND read other blogs and comment on posts.

Thanks Verushka for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey on Confessions of a Blogger, with us! You can find out more about Verushka and connect with her here:

Blog link: http://spicegoddess.co.za

Facebook: SpiceGoddess

Twitter: @verushka143

If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger or would like to see a blogger featured here, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.

Images: Verushka Ramasami

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

Confessions of a Blogger Helena Sheridan

Today on Confessions of a Blogger we meet Helena Sheridan from Quiet Riot Girl, a new blog and blogger to me and an interesting one at that!

Hi I am Helena ~ A small town girl with a big world vision. I work as a freelance writer / online & social media manager and I do occasional styling and creative conceptualization stuff. I also take care of the logistics for AfrikaBurn‘s Department of Public Works…Good at most things, interested in variety.

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I have always been better at expressing myself in writing than verbally. Growing up I kept journals and poured my confused teenage thoughts out onto pages. After working in online marketing for a few years in my early 20s I decided to take some of my thoughts (or social commentary as I like to think of it) online with a blog. In 2010 I resigned from my job in an advertising agency in order to focus more on brands, products, people and projects I felt connected to. With that came the need to create an online space to share my work and also the opportunity to blog (and do some online marketing) for a few interesting clients.
Do you blog fulltime or do you have a 9-5 as well? I do a lot of things in order to keep myself stimulated. I do not have a 9-5 though. I blog for myself whenever the time or inspiration (or sometimes frustration) allows and I blog for my clients as and when stories arise. I also work for AfrikaBurn – I run the Department of Public Works for the event (we are the crew that sets up and breaks down the event and this year around 30 of us spent 48 days living in the Tankwa Karoo). I am lucky enough to have clients that understand that I need some time out and that connectivity is limited when you live in a tent in the desert, so they allow me to do less online work in those months.

Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? On my personal blog I usually make a lot of social commentary and I like to share my personal experiences and travels. I have been involved in a lot of really bizarre and interesting projects in the last two years. I volunteered as the Production Lead to set up and break down the European Burning Man Regional called Nowhere, in the Monegros dessert in Spain in 2012 and 2013. After that in 2013 I, with about 15 other activists (hippies!) cruised down the Rio Ebro on rafts we had built from junk and plastic bottles we collected on the streets of Barcelona. We stopped in small Spanish towns and performed to share messages of recycling and responsible consumption. My job was to share the journey online via our blog and social media channels. These experiences have really shaped my social conscious and I believe my outlook on society is unique. So my personal blog is a little all over the show as I see, perceive and experience things. I have several clients that I blog for and they all warrant their own approach: For Adi Badenhorst I blog about his wines, life on the farm in the stunning Swartland, media attention received and anything interesting Adi and family gets up to (there is always something!). Adi is also part of the Swartland Revolution, a by now legendary wine event we host in Riebeek Kasteel every November. For the Revolution it is more about keeping the website content updated and keeping fans informed of developments. My cousin (married to Adi) and her partner Judy create beautiful, unique events under their De Liefde umbrella and I make sure the world sees what amazing work they do. I also manage blogs for a restaurant in Greenpoint, a cottage in the Ceres Valley and Prince Albert Olive Oil (who’s new website and blog is currently under construction).

Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? I probably need to do more personal blogging, it might help me focus my thoughts and the many projects I keep juggling. For my clients – the fantastic innovative and ‘organic’ work they do inspires me and makes me want to share their vision.
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Personally, courage. The courage to share my views and thoughts with the world (even if no one reads it) putting my opinion out there so black on white (or whatever template you choose to create) is scary. A friend once told me that he loves my writing and the way I almost use it as public therapy – I challenge and contradict myself constantly and somehow grow from the start of a blog post to the end. For clients, getting them to understand the value of online marketing and social media. Also getting them to realize that people are interested in all sort of strange aspects of their lives and adventures. For instance, Adi is a great winemaker but he also breeds parrots, brews beer, takes his kids for sunrise boerewors braais and has an impressive taxidermy collection – once people are vested in your brand they are also interested in all the other aspects of what makes you a unique character… and blogging is a way to share that with them.

What do you love most about being a blogger? The freedom. I can do my job from anywhere as long as I have my little computer and an internet connection. I have blogged from a container in the Spanish dust, the banks of the Rio Ebro, an RV next to the beach on the French West Coast, my 1970 caravan office in the middle of the barren Tankwa Karoo and more recently the warm blankets of my bed in wintery Woodstock…I love finding a story and sharing it with an eager audience and somehow ‘spreading the love’.
Do you have any blog related or social media pet peeves? {things that other bloggers or social media peeps do, that really annoy you} Selfies! And the over sharing of useless personal information. I really think one day we will look back at this time in our history and cringe at the amount of egotistical crap we posted so freely. This immense freedom of expression comes with the responsibility to curate yourself and I think a lot of people are getting it wrong. If I see more than 3 selfies on your Instagram feed I will not follow you. If your Facebook wall is full of personal drama and statuses that blatantly seek attention I will hide your feed and please do not show me every meal or flat white you have ordered…
What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? It sure has. I have found a new confidence in myself, my writing and my thoughts. Through feedback from friends and strangers I have come to accept that yes, my thoughts and outlook is different and sometimes a little weird, but that is actually awesome and the way it should be. I have also had to learn to curate myself and have had to take a hard look at how I publicly let off my steam – and to not tweet after the 4^th glass of wine…
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Be you, focus on what you see, think and feel. Do not try to simply follow trends or go with the masses. If you are going to put yourself out there, be sure it the most YOU you can be…
In three words tell me what blogging means to you: Above all, freedom.

Thanks Helena for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Helena and connect with her here:

Blog link: www.quietriotgirl.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aabadenhorst

Twitter: @quietriotgirl @aabadenhorst @swartlandrev

Instagram: www.instagram.com/quietriotgirl

If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger or would like to see a blogger featured here, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.

Images: Top ~ Credit Damien Schumann, Helena, AABadenhorst Facebook Page

Be Inspired, Blogging, Interviews

Confessions of a Blogger Kerry Heathfield

In today’s Confessions of a Blogger we feature the lovely Kerry Heathfield, who blogs over at GuesswhatGirls. I have yet to meet Kerry but we are both currently doing the Well I am 100 Healthy Days Challenge and it has been great to have a fellow blogger to compare notes with!

My name is Kerry and I live in Durban, my days are spent writing, reading and daydreaming. I love way too many things (cats, Taylor Swift, fashion, books, TV series, etc.) and often obsess but it makes my life interesting. At almost 25 I am constantly learning about life and myself which I share on my blog. GuesswhatGirls is a journey of life, dreams, hope, positivity and an attempt at healthy living through my eyes.

When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I started my blog in 2012 when I finally decided writing was what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted a place where I could practice and learn more about writing as well as network myself and start building my own brand as a writer.
Do you blog fulltime or do you have a regular 9-5 as well? As much as I would love to blog fulltime, the bills need to be paid so I do have a regular 9-5 which I am fortunate enough to love – I am a trainee ladieswear merchandiser which is right up my alley because I do love fashion.

Tell us a bit about your space on the Interweb and what you blog about? My space is all about just writing what I feel, what I like and what I am learning in all aspects of life, it really is like a diary. My blog topics have changed many times since I started the blog because I did battle with my niche for a while – I love a lot of things and wanted to write about them all but eventually (recently) decided to settle on lifestyle and inspiration because as much as I love fashion and reading etc. there is so much to be said about life and everyone could do with some inspiration.
Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going?Definitely my passion for writing and learning.

How important do you think it is to have a niche blog? I think it is important to an extent – people need to know what they are coming to your blog to read but I do feel that a niche limits you somewhat if you are anything like me and just really like a lot of things and want to share with them the world and get as much writing in as possible. I do think that an overall niche is good, for example fashion or lifestyle and then you can do whatever you want with it, which is what I have chosen to do with my blog and my “lifestyle niche”
What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Definitely comparison and envy. There are so many bloggers out there and there was a time where I couldn’t help but compare myself and my blog to the “successful” bloggers and blogs. At one point I totally forgot why I started a blog and just wanted to compete, luckily that was a short period and I am happy to say I am finally over it. I also always struggle to write my bio and change it regularly.
What do you love most about being a blogger? Besides the fact that I can write what I want, when I want, I just think it is such an awesome way to use your creativity as well as meet new people and learn a lot.
If you had to choose a favourite social media platform, what would it be and why?Such a toughie – I actually cannot choose between Twitter and Instagram because I spend equal amounts of time on them and they are both awesome for different reasons. Instagram is a feast for the eyes and Twitter teaches me things on a daily basis.
What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? It has changed my life in so many ways – the things I have learnt about writing, people and about the media/blogging industry would never be learnt somewhere else. I have also learnt so much about myself and have changed many old habits which I not only did as a blogger but in everyday life (such as comparison)
If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? DON’T ever compare! It really is a joy thief and a waste of time. Also, just do it for yourself and your passion.

Thanks Kerry for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Kerry and connect with her here:

Blog link: www.guesswhatgirls.wordpress.com

Twitter: @_kerry_berry_

Instagram: kerryberry5

If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger or would like to see a blogger featured here, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.

Images: Kerry